IL-2 with Open XR "proof of concept" works with Reverb and some other headsets probably

[[CPT]Crunch]

Make sure every app is set to admin privilege.  If one program is set to admin and it tries to open another it will lock up and hang every time with the latest builds of windows.  

[Patricks]

52 minutes ago, Drum said:

64bit for Il-2.  Do you also have the 32bit installed?

 

I started with 64 bit, then tried 32 bit, now back to originals and I believe IL-2 runs under Open Composite but I did so many variations I was crosseyed when I put it down 

 

33 minutes ago, [CPT]Crunch said:

Make sure every app is set to admin privilege.  If one program is set to admin and it tries to open another it will lock up and hang every time with the latest builds of windows.  

Will do tomorrow when I pick it back up..

[Patricks]

On 4/7/2022 at 7:32 AM, Firdimigdi said:

 

As noted above, if you have OpenXR Toolkit installed you have to disable it otherwise IL-2 will freeze when loading

 

 

Went back to Page 1 and started reading, came upon this.. still true?

[firdimigdi]

30 minutes ago, Patricks said:

 

Went back to Page 1 and started reading, came upon this.. still true?

 

Nope, it was fixed in OpenXR Toolkit 1.1.2.

[Patricks]

Ok, re-downloaded the dlls, re-replaced the (64bit) dll in the Game folder (saved original), and IL-2 ran under Open Composite! Now need to tweak the graphics as it's blurry/pixelated. Set FSAA to 8x, turned Sharpen on, getting there. Finally I ran with OpenXR Toolkit open, was able to reset a few things, will see the results next time I run..

 

Does the order in which you start the apps play a part? I have been starting SteamVR (WMR window opens), then "Switch to Open Composite", then put G2 on, start IL-2. Works perfectly, I have the OpenXR "Ctrl-F6" menu, have FR displayed (1v1 SP gives about 80 FPS), set Sharpen to 30%. Also I changed to FXAA 4x and Sharpen & HDR Off in game graphic settings, gained over 30FPS (vs FSAA 8x\Sharpen On). When I exit to the desktop I get a "SteamVR closed, want to restart?" pop up in the WMR window, but all seems good..

 

 

Now I am going to attempt XRNeckSafer....

 

Edited June 17, 2022 by Patricks

[OG__Iceman_VR]

23 hours ago, Patricks said:

Hooked up new G2 today, started out making sure all the "as-is" stuff worked, Was able to run both Steam and 1C versions in VR. Got OpenXR Toolkit 1.14, latest Open Composite, the 32&64 bit dlls, and away I went. As soon as I installed the dlls (saved the originals) neither program would start in VR. The 1C game just wouldn't start (tried the 32 bit, got an error), the Steam game "launches" in the G2 "Home", but just sits there floating in the "Next Up" screen. Put the origianl dlls back, all is well. What the heck am I missing that so many have accomplished? Also, got DCS to run under OpenComposite 1st shot, no issue at all... Certain order of startup for IL-2 maybe? Is everyone using the 64bit dlls?

 

Also, is the Steam icon supposed to be there?

 

Make sure you il2 game is setup to start in VR vs Full screen. I noticed an issue when I was going from tanks back to flying in vr

4 hours ago, Patricks said:

Ok, re-downloaded the dlls, re-replaced the (64bit) dll in the Game folder (saved original), and IL-2 ran under Open Composite! Now need to tweak the graphics as it's blurry/pixelated. Set FSAA to 8x, turned Sharpen on, getting there. Finally I ran with OpenXR Toolkit open, was able to reset a few things, will see the results next time I run..

 

Does the order in which you start the apps play a part? I have been starting SteamVR (WMR window opens), then "Switch to Open Composite", then put G2 on, start IL-2. Works perfectly, I have the OpenXR "Ctrl-F6" menu, have FR displayed (1v1 SP gives about 80 FPS), set Sharpen to 30%. Also I changed to FXAA 4x and Sharpen & HDR Off in game graphic settings, gained over 30FPS (vs FSAA 8x\Sharpen On). When I exit to the desktop I get a "SteamVR closed, want to restart?" pop up in the WMR window, but all seems good..

 

 

Now I am going to attempt XRNeckSafer....

 

You just need to make sure you have WMR set to not have steam start up automatically turned off. Also make sure you found both openv DLL in both il2 folders. I had to replace both with the new dll so I didn't have issues. 

Edited June 17, 2022 by BlindedVR_The_SUN_isBroken

[Patricks]

15 hours ago, BlindedVR_The_SUN_isBroken said:

Make sure you il2 game is setup to start in VR vs Full screen. I noticed an issue when I was going from tanks back to flying in vr

 

You just need to make sure you have WMR set to not have steam start up automatically turned off. Also make sure you found both openv DLL in both il2 folders. I had to replace both with the new dll so I didn't have issues. 

For the Steam version of IL-2 I start it from the Steam display in VR. Is there a way to get it to start differently (as I do from a desktop shortcut for 2D)? For the 1C version its easy, just check the "Enable VR" in the settings before clicking "Play".

 

As for "WMR set to not have steam start up automatically", there is a line "When I open Mixed Reality Portal, automatically start Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR", uncheck this?  I did, get same error as above when I exit (which doesn't seem to actually do anything, so no big deal.)

 

Oh, and XRNeckSafer works great! Just snap views for now but I bet it won't be long before the smooth transitions are added in..

Edited June 18, 2022 by Patricks

[YoYo]

Today, I checked OpenXR toolkit, the last verion, 1.1.3.

What I noticed I dont see this option foveated rendering in the menu, with IL-2 BoX, but for example in DCS ai have it.

Did you notice it too?

[dburne]

36 minutes ago, YoYo said:

Today, I checked OpenXR toolkit, the last verion, 1.1.3.

What I noticed I dont see this option foveated rendering in the menu, with IL-2 BoX, but for example in DCS ai have it.

Did you notice it too?

 

Foveated Rendering in the Toolkit is currently only working with MSFS 2020 per the author of the Toolkit.

[SvAF/F16_Goblin]

3 hours ago, dburne said:

 

Foveated Rendering in the Toolkit is currently only working with MSFS 2020 per the author of the Toolkit.

The toolkit is up to 1.1.4 (at least that is what my version says) and FFR seems to work in DCS for me when I've tried it. In IL-2 however the option don't show.

[mbucchia]

54 minutes ago, SvAF/F16_Goblin said:

The toolkit is up to 1.1.4 (at least that is what my version says) and FFR seems to work in DCS for me when I've tried it. In IL-2 however the option don't show.

FFR is not working in IL2 and ACC,and it won't show in the menu.

[YoYo]

7 hours ago, dburne said:

 

Foveated Rendering in the Toolkit is currently only working with MSFS 2020 per the author of the Toolkit.

not only, for DCS too. Ok, good to know.

[Patricks]

Well, thanks to a YT video (

) and a couple hours of messing around I have "close to" 2D clarity and very smooth play with my G2v2 with Open Composite.  He goes through the OpenXR Tools (on screen menus) settings and some tweaks to the startup.cfg (I followed him except left prop motion at 155). The final key (for me) was the IL-2 Graphics settings themselves. My 1C install was fairly different than my Steam Install, and I had been testing in the Steam IL-2, never getting the clarity I wanted. Popping on the 1C install (matching Startup.cfg files) I immediately saw a marked improvement. I matched the Graphics settings and kabam, now Steam was MUCH better. I can easily spot and actually (and I suck) ID planes at ~1.5K. The overall clarity is quite amazing. 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Patricks

[Youtch]

8 minutes ago, Patricks said:

Well, thanks to a YT video (

) and a couple hours of messing around I have "close to" 2D clarity and very smooth play with my G2v2 with Open Composite.  He goes through the OpenXR Tools (on screen menus) settings and some tweaks to the startup.cfg (I followed him except left prop motion at 155). The final key (for me) was the IL-2 Graphics settings themselves. My 1C install was fairly different than my Steam Install, and I had been testing in the Steam IL-2, never getting the clarity I wanted. Popping on the 1C install (matching Startup.cfg files) I immediately saw a marked improvement. I matched the Graphics settings and kabam, now Steam was MUCH better. I can easily spot and actually (and I suck) ID planes at 2K. The overall clarity is quite amazing. 

It looks like you nailed the graal! Can you share your startup.cfg file?

[Patricks]

Here's the thing, the guy on YT is saying to change "full_height" to 3420 and "full_width" to 3508 - "When I set it to 3420x3508 I could see the fighters with in the visual distance you can see in the game just as well as I could on my 4k flat screen.".

When I did this I did not get a good result.  I also set World Scale to 125% which (for me) is too large, I have settled for now at 115%, and he said to set prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr to 255, I returned it back to default (155). My 1C install had reduced graphics, (pic below) and the resolution was set for 2560x1440 (native resolution of one of my 3 flatscreens). As you can see below it kicked out the 3420x3508 setting I had in there, and clarity was ~perfect. I turned the MSAA up to 8x but really didn't see much improvement and I assume the FPS will be reduced, and 4x looks great so there's that, may play some more with tweaks (reduce Landscape detail and Horizon draw for two) but it's the best its EVER been.. Of course, YMMV!

 

 

 

[KEY = graphics]
    3dhud = 0
    adapter = 0
    bloom_enable = 0
    canopy_ref = 1
    desktop_center = 1
    detail_rt_res = 1024
    draw_distance = 1.00000
    far_blocks = 1

    fps_counter = 0
    fps_limit = 0
    
    fullscreen = 1
    gamma = 0.80000
    grass_distance = 0.00000
    hdr_enable = 0
    land_anisotropy = 2
    land_detail = 3
    land_tex_lods = 3
    max_cache_res = 1
    max_clouds_quality = 2
    mgpu_compatible = 0
    mirrors = 2
    msaa = 1
    multisampling = 2
    or_ca = 0.00000
    or_dummy = 0
    or_enable = 1
    or_height = 3092
    or_hud_rad = 0.850000
    or_hud_size = 0.85000
    or_ipd = 0.05239
    or_render_eye = 0
    or_sipdc = 0.00000
    or_width = 3164
    post_sharpen = 1
    preset = 1
    prop_blur_max_rpm_for_vr = 155
    rescale_target = 1.00000
    shadows_quality = 1
    ssao_enable = 0
    stereo_dof = 5.00000
    vsync = 0
    win_height = 1440
    win_width = 2560
[END]

Edited June 20, 2022 by Patricks

[Youtch]

1 hour ago, Patricks said:

As you can see below it kicked out the 3420x3508 setting I had in there, and clarity was ~perfect. I turned the MSAA up to 8x but really didn't see much improvement and I assume the FPS will be reduced, and 4x looks great so there's that, may play some more with tweaks (reduce Landscape detail and Horizon draw for two) but it's the best its EVER been.

May I ask what is your graphic card to support this configuration?

[firdimigdi]

2 hours ago, Patricks said:

"full_height" to 3420 and "full_width" to 3508

 

full_width and full_height is the resolution the game will render on your screen if you set fullscreen enabled. It has no effect on VR other than reducing performance of you increase it. The or_width and height is the VR render res and those are written in there by the game, you control those either with SteamVR settings or OpenXR settings, depending on the runtime you are using.

 

SSAO has no direct effect or relevance to reprojection artifacts, you'll always get those while reprojection is active.

 

Prop blur RPM at 255 just means to start showing the prop below 255 rpm, so much like with 155 you'll basically just see it at engine startup/shutdown.

 

The person in that video, despite his good intentions, is very confused.

 

Edited June 20, 2022 by Firdimigdi

[Patricks]

31 minutes ago, Youtch said:

May I ask what is your graphic card to support this configuration?

 

i9 9900k @ 5gz, 64gb RAM, 2 TB SSD M2, Zotac 3090 OC..

18 minutes ago, Firdimigdi said:

 

The person in that video, despite his good intentions, is very confused.

 

 

Well thank you for the added information, I started knowing zip and know know zip+1.. but I will say his walking through the OpenXR settings did help... and the results speak for themselves. Now I have to figure out why I lose my mouse when my 1C install starts and it goes to the "Enter" screen. I don't "lose" it but it's sporadic and I can not move it over the "Enter" button. Have to pop on to the 2D screen, select enter, then all is well from then on..

Edited June 20, 2022 by Patricks

[firdimigdi]

Scroll down in this page, all the info for each option is there (and accurately explained):

https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/

 

Regarding your enter button w;oes, perhaps you have the WMR input switching to automatic? Alternatively you can setup the autoplay.cfg and never have to see the login screen again.

[Patricks]

Will check that guide and autoplay.cfg out, thank you @Firdimigdi.  Two things for anyone with Win11 Pro - the last update set all my USB hubs to Power Saving mode, and apparently turned HAGS back on... 

[firdimigdi]

Seems like @mbucchia did quite an extensive write-up about OpenComposite and its usage here:

https://mbucchia.github.io/OpenXR-Toolkit/opencomposite

 

I think this is mandatory reading for everyone wanting to use it at this point as it should clear up alot of the confusion around it.

[CSW_Tommy544]

I have been using OpenComposite with my Rift S for a long time now and it works well. I can see that the master branch of OpenComposite that works exclusively with Oculus devices is now deprecated. Is there any reason to switch to the OpenXR build for Oculus headsets?

 

As I understand it, the build from the master branch translates SteamVR calls to some proprietary Oculus API. On the other hand, the build from OpenXR branch translates SteamVR calls to OpenXR API that Oculus runtime also implements. If my assumption is correct, I guess there could be some performance difference between these two for Oculus headsets. Has anyone tried to compare them?

[firdimigdi]

14 minutes ago, CSW_Tommy544 said:

Is there any reason to switch to the OpenXR build for Oculus headsets?

 

Use of accessory apps like OpenXR Toolkit, XRNeckSafer and OpenKneeboard. If you don't care for any of that then I doubt there's much of a performance difference to be found.

[Chilli_40]

I have a very interesting problem, well one of many! So here we go, I have been having problems getting the game to load in openxr instead of steam vr, I have looked and looked for what the issue could be yet can't seem to find anything out of place. I then came across some Oculus software that hadn't been removed after changing over to my G2, so I thought maybe is the root of all evil, so I deleted anything related to Oculus. Pow, it started in openxr every time I tried it, this was Thursday, thinking I had solved my issues I did a little celebratory dance and shut down the system for the night. Last night "Friday" I tried it again, made sure all setting were pointing to open composite yet no matter what I did or tried it would only open in steam vr! lol, has anyone heard of this issue, should I be calling a priest to have an exorcism for the pc demons? 

[Youtch]

On 6/29/2022 at 4:40 PM, Firdimigdi said:

 

Use of accessory apps like OpenXR Toolkit, XRNeckSafer and OpenKneeboard.

May i ask what do you use kneeboard for? Which type of notes/documents do you display?

[MasterBaiter]

Im having trouble making it works so far.. Game is freezing/not starting:

 

 

Any idea?

[Goffik]

On 6/29/2022 at 3:23 PM, CSW_Tommy544 said:

I have been using OpenComposite with my Rift S for a long time now and it works well. I can see that the master branch of OpenComposite that works exclusively with Oculus devices is now deprecated. Is there any reason to switch to the OpenXR build for Oculus headsets?

 

Has anyone tried to compare them?

 

Yep. Today I spent a couple of hours trying the OpenXR OpenComposite specifically to see if there was any difference. Without changing any quality settings, I went from an average of 50-60fps (depending on map, weather and planes in the sky) to a pretty consistent 70+fps. I really pushed it by doing a 16 plane dogfight over a Bodenplatte town, with overcast weather, heavy mist, and maximum precipitation. The lowest it dropped to at any point was 60fps... my previous maximum.

 

So yeah, the performance difference seems well worth the upgrade. Since I always lock my Rift S to 40Hz, the extra overhead has allowed me to bump up a few settings which is a welcome boost to quality. On top of that, the OpenXR Toolkit mentioned by others has some great features that are well worth using.

 

So yeah, give it a try. You can always revert should your experience be different than mine.

[CSW_Tommy544]

5 hours ago, Goffik said:

 

Yep. Today I spent a couple of hours trying the OpenXR OpenComposite specifically to see if there was any difference. Without changing any quality settings, I went from an average of 50-60fps (depending on map, weather and planes in the sky) to a pretty consistent 70+fps. I really pushed it by doing a 16 plane dogfight over a Bodenplatte town, with overcast weather, heavy mist, and maximum precipitation. The lowest it dropped to at any point was 60fps... my previous maximum.

 

So yeah, the performance difference seems well worth the upgrade. Since I always lock my Rift S to 40Hz, the extra overhead has allowed me to bump up a few settings which is a welcome boost to quality. On top of that, the OpenXR Toolkit mentioned by others has some great features that are well worth using.

 

So yeah, give it a try. You can always revert should your experience be different than mine.

Thanks for letting me know! I'll give it a try.

[KoN_]

No longer works . Any ideas 

[Alonzo]

2 hours ago, KoN_ said:

No longer works . Any ideas 

 

Works fine for me. Try getting the latest of all the various software, and re-run the OpenComposite installer to ensure you don't have SteamVR as the default runtime.

[kissTheSky]

Guys, 

 

Having been on my primary racing sim for the past 9 months, I had not run IL-2 since last February. I just did to try out Normandy release. I have to say it looks like I’ve been spoilt by the racing sim and how good it runs in VR with its native OpenXR support.
 

is there an updated bulletpoint of what to do to run IL-2 with OpenXR with WMR? HP Reverb G2 to be exact. 
Thanks!

[TheSNAFU]

 

[Patricks]

Ran some PWCG WWI (Arras) and WWII (Normandy) missions in VR (G2 V2 at 100%) yesterday for the first time since upgrading my CPU to a 5.8gz i9-13900/3090, and with graphics fairly well maxxed (same settings as my 2D, which gets over 150FPS on my triples) i'm getting 90FPS in most situations. Takes away some of that 4090 itch I have been feeling!

 

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by Patricks